The managing director of a leading vehicle management company has called for reform of the entire motor insurance industry so that motorists find it much harder to make minor whiplash claims.
Simon Hill of Leicester-based vehicle management company, Total Motion, wants to see a complete clamp down on compensation pay-outs for all non-serious road accident injuries.
He said: “The whole insurance industry needs to be reformed so that whiplash and other non-serious minor claims are much harder to see through.
“Currently law-abiding motorists are bearing the cost of inflated compensation claims through higher motor insurance premiums.
“It is also time that lawyers and ambulance chasers were given a fixed cost tariff of what they can charge when pursuing personal injury claims for motorists.”
Simon’s comments come in the wake of a Ministry of Justice (MoJ) consultation on proposals designed to reform the personal injury and ancillary claims sectors.
Concentrating not just on whiplash but all soft tissue injuries resulting from a road traffic accident, the reforms, if made law, would see a radical shake-up of the personal injury claims market.
The MoJ is focusing in particular on what defines a minor soft tissue injury and whether this definition should be linked to the length of time a claimant suffers symptoms.
One proposal under consideration suggests scrapping the ability for people to recover damages for Pain, Suffering and Loss of Amenity (known as PSLA) for minor soft tissue injuries.
Claims for special damages, which cover loss of earnings, care and rehabilitation could still be submitted along with a medical report, as is currently the case. However, in future, claimants might also have to provide medical evidence to clarify the duration of their symptoms.
A second proposal recommends introducing a fixed compensation pay out of £400 – or £425 if there are psychological injuries – for minor soft injury claims.
It also suggests introducing a tariff for those injuries which go beyond the definition of “minor” and give rise to symptoms lasting for up to two years. In such cases the maximum amount payable in compensation would be £3,500, rising to £3,600 where the claimant also has psychological injuries.
If the reforms make it on to the statute book, then there will be far-reaching implications for lawyers, insurers and motorists.
According to insurance industry commentators, some law firms may well withdraw from the personal injury sector if they can no longer secure fees at their current high values.
Consequently, it is anticipated that more claims management companies will set up as they hurry to fill the gap in the market left by solicitors.
Generally, reform is seen as positive news for insurance companies, as their indemnity expenditure would fall.
However insurers could see a hike in operational spend due to an increase in the number of claimants, who, unable to secure a solicitor, bring their claims without legal representation.
To find out more about Total Motion’s range of services and how they can look after all your fleet management needs, call their award-winning customer service team on 0116 4026500 or visit their website at www.totalmotion.co.uk.